Semper Fidelis: Book 1: His Majesty's Dragon
by PsycoDragonKiller
Summary: Kyle Reaver is a US Marine. He was sent out on a mission to aid an aircraft carrier that was under heavy fire when, through his carelessness, got shot down. He woke up in an egg on a British ship after being told that he was needed elsewhere. Watch as Kyle joins Laurence and Temeraire to take down Napoleon Bonaparte in this explosive story of blood and sacrifice.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer!**

**I don't own the Temeraire series. This story was made because of my love of this series. Ive read every book and couldn't resist. Naomi Novik is an amazing author, a Goddess among authors. Thank you for making this series.**

"OK Kyle, Command knows you have some aerial training, but I personally believe you need some more before you take on this OP." A young voice said. A young man with black shoulder length hair is sitting in the cockpit of a F-35 Lightning II. "Hey listen, I know you may have memorized your mission, but let me remind you of it."

"You're being sent in to aid an aircraft carrier named Big Betty's Hanger. Don't ask me how they were able to name it that, they just did." Kyle face palmed as best as he could with his helmet on. "There's a terrorist sect in that area that got the jump of the carrier using subs, distracting them long enough to get their ships into position with several different jet types. You'll be going in as a solo unit, but there will be other units there to give you some help."

"Copy that, nearing the carrier now. Reaver out." Kyle said. His deep and raspy voice cutting through the cockpit as he cut off communications. He leaned back and sighed in annoyance. 'Yet another aerial OP. I'm beginning to think they want me in the USAF instead of the Marines at this point…' Kyle thought.

Outside of the cockpit anti-air guns were peppering the sky around the jet. Kyle put the jet into a downward spiral and pulled the trigger, the grinding sound of the GAU-22A Gatling gun signaling the death of a terrorist as the bullets flew through the air and shredded the AA gun. Kyle grinned slightly as he pulled up and shot over the ships into a loop, bullets flying by his jet like a scene from a movie. When Kyle completed the loop he initiated he fired a missile at an enemy jet, tearing its right wing off.

Kyle couldn't celebrate his victory for long. An enemy aircraft got a lock on him and had fired a missile. Kyle pulled up quickly and flipped the jet around, allowing the missile to fly past him. Kyle responded by unloading a hail of burning metal on the enemy, piercing the cockpit an splattering the enemy pilot. A rough shaking alerted Kyle to the fact that he just was hit in the wing. He changed radio frequencies and relayed the message to the other jets acting as his support.

"I'm hit! I don't think I'll be able to make it to the carrier. I need a target immediately!" Kyle growled. The other pilots understood what he meant and quickly pointed out a large enemy ship with several AA missile turrets and machine guns. Kyle nodded and angled his plane towards the enemy ship. Bullets peppered the jet as it flew down towards the ship at high speeds.

"This was over way too quickly, I must be pretty rusty…" Kyle grumbled as he closed his eyes. A bright flash of light penetrated his eyelids and a quick jolt of pain confirmed his impact on the enemy ship. "I just hope this is actually the end…"

**The list of sources shall be placed on my profile.**


	2. Chapter 1: A New Chance at Life

"Hey guys! It looks ready! Get someone to prep the deck!" A loud voice shouted, waking me up.

"W-what the hell," I thought out loud as I looked around. All I could see was darkness, pure impenetrable darkness. "Why is it so dark?" I was able to feel a smooth and wet surface that compressed my body. I tapped it and nodded to myself when I heard a hollow clacking noise. "Judging by the noise of my movements, this surface is very thin. I might be able to break out." I drew back what I assumed was my arm and punched the wet surface before me. It cracked and some light was let in, allowing me to see some of my arm. "Holy fuck..."

My arm was red and scaly, something I knew was not normal. With a feeling of dread I smashed into the surface around me until it broke enough to let me out. I climbed out and found myself in a warm wooden room, t sound of waves splashing against the hull of a ship calming me a little bit. I looked down at my body and felt my heart skip a beat. My body was covered in red scales except for my underbelly, which had tan scales. I felt a strange weight on my back and turned to look. I had wings!

"There's only one thing I know of that has my physical description..." I whispered. "And if I'm correct, then I turned into a dragon." I walked over to a mirror that was near my egg, I figured that out once I realized what I was. I looked at my reflection and couldn't resist letting a smile cover my face. I looked amazing. My head was framed with a crescent of horns, and two bigger ones curved down next to my mouth. two long and pointy ears are situated right where my old ones would have been. My front legs ended in large scaled paws shaped more like hands. My back pair of limbs looked more leg like though. My hands and feet had large claws, even for my size. Above my hind legs was a long tail that had black fur running down it. Fur was also running down my spine and up my neck to the back of my head. My eyes were a dark green and a large scar went over my right eye. Scars from bullet holes were clustered dangerously close to my heart. "Guess some things can't be forgotten..."

A loud bang alerted me to someone opening the door to my room and I immediately went on guard. I didn't know where I was, so I had to be ready.

- (Line Break) -

"Come on guys! It's almost ready!" A young man yelled. His name was Johnson, and he was an ensign in the British Navy. Johnson is a five foot seven Caucasian male with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. His usual outfit consists of a vest and no undershirt. His brown pants are held up by a tan belt with a silver buckle. Behind him was a trio of older men, all of whom had excited looks on their faces. They ran through the halls of the ship until they reached the room that Temeraire's egg used to be the day before. Johnson slammed the door open and ran into the room with his friends. The group stopped when they heard an angry growl come from a red form to their left. They group slowly turned until they saw the dragon next to them, its mouth pulled into a snarl.

"Who are you?" The dragon growled as it slowly got closer to them. Johnson gulped and responded in a shaky voice.

"Well, I'm Johnson. I'm a member of the British Naval fleet." He replied. The dragon nodded and slowly eased out of his combat stance. He walked over to Johnson and stuck out his right forepaw.

"You don't seem like bad people. My name's Kyle Reaver, but you can call me Kyle. It's nice to meet you." Kyle said as he shook hands with Johnson. The group stared at the two as they shook hands, their jaws on the floor so to speak. Kyle nodded to them and walked out of the door, Johnson leading the way.

"What is her name?" Kyle asked as he looked around at the many rooms around him.

"Her name is the HMS Reliant." Johnson said. "The old captain, William Laurence, found another dragon egg. Both that egg and yours were obtained from one of Napoleon's ships. The other one hatched yesterday, and the hatchling and Laurence got along really well. The dragon is Temeraire. They're going to join up with the Aerial Corps one we dock."

'Looks like I may have a way of getting answers, or at least something to do.' Kyle thought. 'Though that means I'll be brought into another war. If what he says is true, then I'll be going up against France. My history teachers would have to have been here...'

"Do you think I can go with them?" He asked. Johnson thought for a minute before nodding in confirmation. The two soldiers reached the ladder leading to the deck and Kyle swiftly climbed right up. He looked around the deck until he spotted and man talking with a black dragon. Ignoring all of the stares he was getting, Kyle walked right up to the two and made his presence known by standing in the man's line of sight. He jumped in astonishment, and the black dragon turned to look at them.

"Hello there. Are you the man they call William Laurence?" Kyle asked. The man nodded and the dragon gave Kyle a dark look.

"Yes I am. May I ask who you are?" Laurence asked.

"My name is Kyle Reaver, but you can call me Kyle." Kyle said as he stuck out a paw to shake. Laurence did the same and they shook hands. Laurence laughed a little when he realized he was shaking hands with a baby dragon.

"I heard you were going to join something called the Aerial Corps, if I'm not mistaken. You wouldn't mind a little more company would you?" Kyle asked. Laurence sat back and thought about the question for a little bit, and nodded.

"Yes you may. You'll need to find someone to harness you though. The one who harnesses you will become your partner." Laurence said. Kyle nodded in confirmation and turned towards Johnson.

"Hey Johnson, you wanna join the Corps with me?" Kyle asked. Several of Johnson's friends stared at him as he walked up to Kyle and stuck out a hand.

"Sounds good Kyle, I look forward to serving with you." He said. A collective shout of 'WHAT' echoed throughout the ship as the two shook hands once more.

"I look forward to serving alongside you as well Johnson." Kyle replied with a wide grin on his face. They turned back to Laurence and Johnson laughed.

"You can't get rid of me easily captain!" Johnson said with a booming laugh. "We're a team now, all four of us!" Laurence groaned and put a hand up to his face. This just increased the volume of Johnson's laugh, and a few other ensigns laughed as well. Temeraire's raspy draconic laugh joined them and Kyle grinned.

'Just like last time, a group of four with various personality types about to take on probably the greatest threat out there. I wonder which of us will die first. Only time will tell.' Kyle thought. Laurence got up and smacked Johnson in the back of the head after some comment he made, causing him to face plant on the deck. 'I shouldn't think like that. I need to just sit back and enjoy the peace I have for now.'

"Hey guys," Kyle yelled. The other three looked at him and he grinned as he put out a paw. "From now on, we're a team, like Johnson said." The other three tuck a hand or paw on top of Kyle's and nodded. "There's a saying that I live by, semper fidelis, its Latin for always faithful. We're live, breathe, and die together. Nothing will break us apart. Not Napoleon, not the Corps, nothing! We are one gun, and one bullet."

"Hell yeah," Johnson yelled.

"Agreed," Laurence said, his other hand moving up into a salute.

"I'll go wherever Laurence goes." Temeraire said as he gave the group a look of determination.

Kyle nodded and the others grinned at him. Kyle had one last thing to say to his new friends before grabbing something to eat.

"Now let's give the French something to fear!" Kyle roared. Johnson, Laurence and Temeraire yelled out in agreement. And from that moment on, a bond of unbreakable friendship was made, and one team that would later turn the very tides of the war.


End file.
